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The Defenders of Tronus - The Birth of Heroes (Updated 2/28/04)
- Thread starter Arkyst
- Start date
The Defenders of Tronus – The Trap is Sprung:
Before the sun set over the arid city of Kaldrid, the Defenders took to their posts. If Melcher showed his ruggedly handsome, but still despicable face, the heroes would be there to catch the villain and bring him to justice once and for all!
Several hours had passed, but they believed that Duke Kevrick wouldn’t steer them wrong and continued to remain watchful. With only a light whistling, a grappling shot was fired from the window of the apartment above the general store where Erasmus and Boulder had been earlier that day. Erasmus was the first to spot the attractive young woman that Baylynn had encountered earlier that day. The girl’s map had indicated that the plan was to enter through the back door, but watched as she balanced her way across the thin wire now connecting the two buildings. She was heading towards the skylight of the gallery!
Erasmus whistled to alert the team that it was time. Kaelin scoured the alleys looking for signs of Melcher while Baylynn jumped out of the barrel of water where she was hiding. Erasmus flagged down Rayna’s carriage and rounded up Boulder, Azerot and Cinder. Kaelin returned with no signs of Melcher, but time was wasting, the team needed to act.
Rayna cast fly on Erasmus who then carried her to the top of the building. Azerot quickly joined them after Kabod had granted him the ability to walk on air, and Cinder flew up on his own. The others had two choices, climb up the building and run across the tight wire, or use the carriage to vault the fence. Boulder was the only one to brave the wire, and after a quick climb, the dwarf could be seen in the moonlight; running at full speed across the nearly transparent wire.
Kaelin and Baylynn decided to investigate the back door while the others were going in through the skylight. Once around back, they found that the back door was locked from the inside. Yet Baylynn passed on using her burglary skills, and took a different approach. In a hushed voice, she informed her teammate of her intent, “This feather token turns into a swan boat. Since this door opens outward, I can use the boat to hold the door shut and Melcher’s crew will be less likely to escape!”
On top of the building, the other Defenders were peering down into the pitch-black gallery. They could see the pearl, which was directly below the skylight, glow in the light of the moon. There were also a set of tools laid out on the top of the glass, and the group could make out the shadow of the lone thief silently working away at the lock. Azerot was about to comment that it didn’t look like the work of Melcher, but before he could, Boulder slipped and toppled through the remainder of the glass skylight.
The thief disappeared behind some full sized paintings after being showered with glass while Boulder’s ring of feather falling allowed him to float gracefully to the ground. The others watched from above as Boulder stood perfectly still on the ground next to the glass case holding the Pearl of the Deep. Then with a sudden start, the organ began to play. Slow notes rung through the spacious building, made more intimidating by the darkness and the ominous pieces of artwork that were barely visible in the moonlight.
Rayna cast levitate on herself, as to allow Erasmus free movement with his bow while flying. Along with Azerot and Cinder, they all flew down to assist their friend. Inside the organ continued to play slowly and softly until suddenly there was a shout. Magical lights throughout the building illuminated and the music rang through the hall with a fierce tempo. From behind a secret door on an overlooking balcony, the infamous Melcher appeared while six of his dancing girls came flipping and tumbling out from behind various art pieces on the main floor.
“Greetings Defenders,” called out Melcher as he continued to dance to the music. “Or should I say ex-Defenders? Two days ago the ownership of Tronus changed hands. The great Lord Galvorn from Dordivan purchased the fair city from King Redbrook for the sum of five million gold. Now Galvorn has appointed new Defenders, and marked you as outlaws for bringing the Eye of Zorm to Tronus. Since I myself am one of the new Defenders, I felt that it is my duty to apprehend the lot of you!”
“What are you going to do…dance us to death?” Retorted Azerot.
Melcher shook his head and made a defiant spin. That was the cue for his girls to begin the attack. Boulder being the only one stuck on the ground, soon found himself surrounded by the six sultry dancers that began assaulting him with hips, rumps, elbows and bosoms. Azerot found that his fire-centric spells were a little too destructive for the gallery and decided to wade into the battle. Rayna took a different approach, and cast a wall of wind. She was able to place it across the area where three of the girls were standing, and instantly they were relieved of their skimpy outfits. Since no man deserved a free show, they quit fighting and used their arms to hide their bareness.
Erasmus hovered in place; he was going to finish Melcher off once and for all. Of all of the villains that the Defenders had faced, they found that Melcher was only good at one thing, being annoying. After only a few arrows, Melcher’s elegant robes were spattered with his own blood, but then he changed his tune. He sung a short song about insanity and confusion, and Erasmus took it to heart. The undead hunter started speaking incoherently about the coming of the undead legions and how it would likely be the end of the world! Melcher took that time to go invisible and sneak back through the secret door, making yet another narrow escape.
Rayna, Boulder, Azerot and Cinder chased the six dancing girls into the back room. They were fleeing for the back door, but found that it was being blocked from the outside. The sassiest of the group, a fiery redhead, turned around at that point and faced Rayna. With attitude dripping from every syllable, the girl gave the Defenders an earful, “Listen up; you don’t even know who we are!”
Rayna having had enough of the girls, smiled in response, “I don’t care who you are. Boulder, Azerot, tie them up!”
Out back Kaelin and Baylynn were still scouting around, where they found the missing piece of Melcher’s gang. Rampart, the one-Minotaur army that usually sufficed as the brawn for the operation, was coming out of the side door while the organ continued to play. The two newfound heroes wasted no time and began attacking the monster. Kaelin stayed back and fired arrow after arrow into Rampart’s hide while Baylynn engaged. Rampart’s swings could take out three men at once, but he just couldn’t hit the halfling as she sprung back and forth. Finally the horned monster dropped in the center of the courtyard.
Kaelin and Baylynn charged inside only to find an old man playing the organ. He looked panicked, and said; “They paid me to play, but said they’d kill me if I stopped.”
Baylynn gave the man another chance to stop, but when he refused for the second time, the halfling rogue began to get irate. Forgetting her new status as a hero, Baylynn drew her light mace and cracked the man on the knuckles. “If you won’t stop, then I’ll make you stop”, called out the angered Defender.
The old man gasped in disbelief and then fell unconscious. At that same time Kaelin was outside checking for tracks and Baylynn noticed a secret door open, only nobody appeared to come out. Frantically trying to decide her next action, Baylynn was afraid that she had killed the old man, and had to wait on the secret door. Unfortunately by the time she had stabilized the organ player, Melcher had slipped by while invisible.
Erasmus came out of his dazed and confused state, luckily before he hurt anyone, and they all regrouped in the center of the gallery. The group began to tie up the now unconscious dancing girls (since they wouldn’t come quietly). “Take all of their jewelry,” spat Rayna. “It’s all magic, and these harlots don’t deserve it!”
“Outlaws, we are really outlaws,” Azerot mumbled as he looked over the wanted poster that Melcher had dropped. “After all we’ve done for Tronus…this is just absurd.”
Before the sun set over the arid city of Kaldrid, the Defenders took to their posts. If Melcher showed his ruggedly handsome, but still despicable face, the heroes would be there to catch the villain and bring him to justice once and for all!
Several hours had passed, but they believed that Duke Kevrick wouldn’t steer them wrong and continued to remain watchful. With only a light whistling, a grappling shot was fired from the window of the apartment above the general store where Erasmus and Boulder had been earlier that day. Erasmus was the first to spot the attractive young woman that Baylynn had encountered earlier that day. The girl’s map had indicated that the plan was to enter through the back door, but watched as she balanced her way across the thin wire now connecting the two buildings. She was heading towards the skylight of the gallery!
Erasmus whistled to alert the team that it was time. Kaelin scoured the alleys looking for signs of Melcher while Baylynn jumped out of the barrel of water where she was hiding. Erasmus flagged down Rayna’s carriage and rounded up Boulder, Azerot and Cinder. Kaelin returned with no signs of Melcher, but time was wasting, the team needed to act.
Rayna cast fly on Erasmus who then carried her to the top of the building. Azerot quickly joined them after Kabod had granted him the ability to walk on air, and Cinder flew up on his own. The others had two choices, climb up the building and run across the tight wire, or use the carriage to vault the fence. Boulder was the only one to brave the wire, and after a quick climb, the dwarf could be seen in the moonlight; running at full speed across the nearly transparent wire.
Kaelin and Baylynn decided to investigate the back door while the others were going in through the skylight. Once around back, they found that the back door was locked from the inside. Yet Baylynn passed on using her burglary skills, and took a different approach. In a hushed voice, she informed her teammate of her intent, “This feather token turns into a swan boat. Since this door opens outward, I can use the boat to hold the door shut and Melcher’s crew will be less likely to escape!”
On top of the building, the other Defenders were peering down into the pitch-black gallery. They could see the pearl, which was directly below the skylight, glow in the light of the moon. There were also a set of tools laid out on the top of the glass, and the group could make out the shadow of the lone thief silently working away at the lock. Azerot was about to comment that it didn’t look like the work of Melcher, but before he could, Boulder slipped and toppled through the remainder of the glass skylight.
The thief disappeared behind some full sized paintings after being showered with glass while Boulder’s ring of feather falling allowed him to float gracefully to the ground. The others watched from above as Boulder stood perfectly still on the ground next to the glass case holding the Pearl of the Deep. Then with a sudden start, the organ began to play. Slow notes rung through the spacious building, made more intimidating by the darkness and the ominous pieces of artwork that were barely visible in the moonlight.
Rayna cast levitate on herself, as to allow Erasmus free movement with his bow while flying. Along with Azerot and Cinder, they all flew down to assist their friend. Inside the organ continued to play slowly and softly until suddenly there was a shout. Magical lights throughout the building illuminated and the music rang through the hall with a fierce tempo. From behind a secret door on an overlooking balcony, the infamous Melcher appeared while six of his dancing girls came flipping and tumbling out from behind various art pieces on the main floor.
“Greetings Defenders,” called out Melcher as he continued to dance to the music. “Or should I say ex-Defenders? Two days ago the ownership of Tronus changed hands. The great Lord Galvorn from Dordivan purchased the fair city from King Redbrook for the sum of five million gold. Now Galvorn has appointed new Defenders, and marked you as outlaws for bringing the Eye of Zorm to Tronus. Since I myself am one of the new Defenders, I felt that it is my duty to apprehend the lot of you!”
“What are you going to do…dance us to death?” Retorted Azerot.
Melcher shook his head and made a defiant spin. That was the cue for his girls to begin the attack. Boulder being the only one stuck on the ground, soon found himself surrounded by the six sultry dancers that began assaulting him with hips, rumps, elbows and bosoms. Azerot found that his fire-centric spells were a little too destructive for the gallery and decided to wade into the battle. Rayna took a different approach, and cast a wall of wind. She was able to place it across the area where three of the girls were standing, and instantly they were relieved of their skimpy outfits. Since no man deserved a free show, they quit fighting and used their arms to hide their bareness.
Erasmus hovered in place; he was going to finish Melcher off once and for all. Of all of the villains that the Defenders had faced, they found that Melcher was only good at one thing, being annoying. After only a few arrows, Melcher’s elegant robes were spattered with his own blood, but then he changed his tune. He sung a short song about insanity and confusion, and Erasmus took it to heart. The undead hunter started speaking incoherently about the coming of the undead legions and how it would likely be the end of the world! Melcher took that time to go invisible and sneak back through the secret door, making yet another narrow escape.
Rayna, Boulder, Azerot and Cinder chased the six dancing girls into the back room. They were fleeing for the back door, but found that it was being blocked from the outside. The sassiest of the group, a fiery redhead, turned around at that point and faced Rayna. With attitude dripping from every syllable, the girl gave the Defenders an earful, “Listen up; you don’t even know who we are!”
Rayna having had enough of the girls, smiled in response, “I don’t care who you are. Boulder, Azerot, tie them up!”
Out back Kaelin and Baylynn were still scouting around, where they found the missing piece of Melcher’s gang. Rampart, the one-Minotaur army that usually sufficed as the brawn for the operation, was coming out of the side door while the organ continued to play. The two newfound heroes wasted no time and began attacking the monster. Kaelin stayed back and fired arrow after arrow into Rampart’s hide while Baylynn engaged. Rampart’s swings could take out three men at once, but he just couldn’t hit the halfling as she sprung back and forth. Finally the horned monster dropped in the center of the courtyard.
Kaelin and Baylynn charged inside only to find an old man playing the organ. He looked panicked, and said; “They paid me to play, but said they’d kill me if I stopped.”
Baylynn gave the man another chance to stop, but when he refused for the second time, the halfling rogue began to get irate. Forgetting her new status as a hero, Baylynn drew her light mace and cracked the man on the knuckles. “If you won’t stop, then I’ll make you stop”, called out the angered Defender.
The old man gasped in disbelief and then fell unconscious. At that same time Kaelin was outside checking for tracks and Baylynn noticed a secret door open, only nobody appeared to come out. Frantically trying to decide her next action, Baylynn was afraid that she had killed the old man, and had to wait on the secret door. Unfortunately by the time she had stabilized the organ player, Melcher had slipped by while invisible.
Erasmus came out of his dazed and confused state, luckily before he hurt anyone, and they all regrouped in the center of the gallery. The group began to tie up the now unconscious dancing girls (since they wouldn’t come quietly). “Take all of their jewelry,” spat Rayna. “It’s all magic, and these harlots don’t deserve it!”
“Outlaws, we are really outlaws,” Azerot mumbled as he looked over the wanted poster that Melcher had dropped. “After all we’ve done for Tronus…this is just absurd.”
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weiknarf said:Oh the horror!
First, I noticed that I was missing "surrounded" in that sentence. I quickly fixed that, so thanks!
The party found the dancing girls amusing at first; especially since they fight unarmed and aren't monks (not enough damage to worry about). Yet, when I get them flanked and start doing sneak attack damage with sexy attacks, they start to get a little concerned.
For the battle, I played Deeper Underground by Jamiroquai to simulate the organ that bursts into myriad of sound. I usually play various genre soundtracks and the Midnight Syndicate for background music, but for Melcher, I make acceptions (Although I'm embarassed to say it, Melcher's theme song is "Rock Your Body" by Justin Timberlake). Melcher is essentially the medieval equivalent to a boy band pop-star, and it really helps boast the player's disgust for the character.
It can also be amusing that when my wife hears that song, she tells me that it reminds her of D&D!
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